HYDERABAD: Over 8,000 metric tonnes (MTs) of garbage has piled up in the city for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as contract and outsourced employees of the corporation kept away from work.
The indefinite strike by Telangana Municipal Employees and Workers United Association would continue on Wednesday also as talks between the state government and municipal unions failed on Tuesday too.
The garbage trucks were off the roads since Monday morning. Officials are worried as the heaps of garbage might lead to spread of diseases. The situation may worsen if it rains and many residents have complained of stink emanating from the uncleared waste.
About 8,000 MTs of garbage that was generated since the last 48 hours is getting spilled from the garbage bins and now getting scattered on to the roads in twin cities due non lifting of garbage. Due to piling of garbage, people are forced bear the stinking smell.
The state government represented by home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy, finance minister Etela Rajender and municipal officials held talks again with representatives of various municipal unions at the Secretariat here on Tuesday.
The ministers urged the striking unions to call off their strike as government is exploring possibilities to solve their demands at the earliest.
But the employees’ union were adamant and said that the strike would continue till their demands are conceded by the government.
Over 25,000 contract and outsourcing employees are working in the GHMC, including 20,000 sweepers, 1,500 transportation employees and 2,200 entomology wing employees.
Their demands include regularisation of services of contract workers, increase in salaries of contract workers from Rs 14,170 to Rs 17,400, PF and ESI amount should be deposited in workers account, allotment of 2 BHK houses for the employees, Rs 5 lakh insurance to the workers.
TPCC Extends Support to Striking Civic Staff
The TPCC has extended its support to the ongoing strike by municipal employees across the state.
TPCC working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, at a press conference here on Tuesday, asked the government to solve the demands of the municipal employees, who are instrumental in keeping the cities and towns clean. He said the main demand of regularising the outsourcing and contract employees be resolved.
Meanwhile, ridiculing the comments of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao that the Congress leaders are unable to see the development, Vikramarka said development does not mean taking up works that ensure commissions to party leaders but resolving the problems of the common man.